Tank Demolition Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

The Final Moments of Freedom Industries' Tank 396

The storage tank that was the source of a chemical spill that contaminated the drinking water supply for 300,000 West Virginians on January 9 has been demolished. Tank 396, which housed the coal-scrubbing compound MCHM, was demolished Tuesday afternoon. Contractors began demolition of the tank farm on July 15.

This is what's happening right now with Tank 396, the MCHM tank that leaked at Freedom Industries. pic.twitter.com/5xyTRpA4Is

— Kenwardjr (@Kenwardjr) July 29, 2014

Stro smell of MCHM in air as tank 396 leveled. #EyewitnessWV pic.twitter.com/fC2SaZwccJ

— Bob Aaron (@BobAaronWCHS) July 29, 2014

Volunteer video producer Mike Youngren sent us this video.

The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection approved a stormwater management plan for the demolition process on Monday, July 14, just one day before the demolition of the site began. As we previously reported, that plan included:

Freedom Industries contractors will place liners over the footprint of the tanks to prevent stormwater from unintentionally entering the ground.
Contractors will also halt the demolition process if more than two inches of rain falls within a six-hour period.
Dismantled materials will be stored within the containment wall at the site before being loaded and hauled away in roll off containers or on a truck.

Photos & Video: Demolition of Freedom Industries Site Begins

Freedom Industries contractors began the demolition process at the site of a January chemical leak that tainted the water supply of 300,000 West Virginians. Contractors knocked out a wall and ripped piping materials from the tanks Tuesday.

Freedom Chief Restructuring Officer Mark Welch said four tanks will remain up to store stormwater and waste at the site until their contents are removed. He said, at that point, the contents will be removed and those tanks will be torn down at the end of the process.

Welch says Tank No. 396, which is the tank that stored MCHM and leaked into the river on January 9, will be demolished sometime next week.

Here are some images of the site just before and during the initial phases of the demolition process:

Tank No. 396 at Freedom Industries is the one where the January 9 leak occurred. Part of the tank wall was removed so it could be inspected from the inside, according to Freedom Industries Chief Restructuring Officer Mark Welch.

Freedom Chief Restructuring Officer Mark Welch stands next to the tanks that will soon be demolished.

The containment wall where MCHM made its way through and into the Elk River.

A view from the bank below the tank farm. Below my feet is the stormwater trench that overflowed on June 12 and 13.

An opening of the stormwater trench below the hill of the tank farm, where an overflow occurred on June 12 and 13. Mark Welch called this the “last resort” for catching storm or groundwater at the site.

Contractors from Independence Excavating attach a sheer to a backhoe in preparation of demolition at the site.

Demolition of the tanks begins on Wednesday morning.

The logo / slogan of contractors Independence Excavating reads: “Earth now, Moon later.”

Tank Demolition Underway at Freedom Site

Demolition has started on at the site of a January chemical spill in Charleston that contaminated public drinking water for 300,000 West Virginians.

Independence Excavating began the demolition process Tuesday by knocking down a brick wall, tearing out piping, and removing materials connected to the tanks. Freedom Chief Restructuring Officer Mark Welch says the first cuts to the tanks will come Wednesday.

Welch says Tank No. 396, where the leak originated, will come down sometime next week.

Four other tanks will be temporarily left on site to store stormwater runoff that comes into contact with potentially contaminated soil.

The company had delayed the teardown multiple times. One of the delays involved asbestos issues in tank gaskets and elsewhere.

The Department of Environmental Protection says demolition should take two to four weeks, unless there are major weather delays.

The Jan. 9 spill of a coal-cleaning agent known as MCHM prompted water-use restrictions for West Virginia American Water customers in nine counties.

DEP Approves Stormwater Management Plan for Freedom Tank Demolition

The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection has approved a stormwater management plan for the demolition of the Charleston Freedom Industries site. The tanks there were involved in the contamination of the drinking water for some 300,000 West Virginians in January.

According to the plan approved Monday, Freedom Industries contractors will place liners over the footprint of the tanks to prevent stormwater from unintentionally entering the ground.

Contractors will also halt the demolition process if more than two inches of rain falls within a six-hour period.

Dismantled materials will be stored within the containment wall at the site before being loaded and hauled away in roll off containers or on a truck.

Freedom Industries Chief Restructuring Officer Mark Welch says planning will finish up Tuesday afternoon with demolition to begin shortly after. DEP officials say the project is expected to take anywhere from two to four weeks.